You'll Never Be Alone
by Rayne Cassandra Storme
Summary: Two-Bit/Pony slash fic. R&R 2 find out.  Chapter 8 and 9 deleted because I've got a new direction for the story.
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHORS NOTE: THIS IS A TWO-BIT AND PONYBOY SLASH FANFIC. IT IS A REWRITE OF A PREVIOUS FANFIC THAT I LOST WHEN MY COMPUTER CRASHED. THIS ONE AND MY OTHER FANFIC "WRONG" (BOTH IN PROGRESS BUT  
>"WRONG" HASN'T BEEN POSTED YET) CONSIST OF TWO OF MY FAVE SLASH PAIRINGS. (DALLASPONYBOY & TWO-BIT/PONYBOY) THANKS FOR READING!**

**Rayne Storme**

_**Chapter One**_

_Two-Bit's POV_

Every instinct in my body was tellin' me to run at the sight of Pony's tears but I couldn't leave him. If he had been anyone else I would have taken off by now but I couldn't hurt him like that. He was already in pain 'cause of his most recent fight with Darry and I wasn't about to put him through anymore of that pain. Instead of walking away I pulled him into my arms and held him against my chest. His sobs shook both of our bodies but I didn't let him go.

"What was your fight about Pony?" I asked.

He looked up at me, his gray-green eyes filling with more tears.

"He got my report card in the mail today. When I got home from school he was waitin' for me, wantin' to know why I had failed everything. We started yellin' at each other and he let it slip that he thinks I did it on purpose. Then he punched me." He paused, and then said. "He said he'd never hit me again but he did."

Now, there wasn't a lot that could piss me off, but people hurting Pony did the trick. Especially since the person that was doin' the hurting was supposed to understand what Pony was goin' through. I tightened my arms around him and looked down at him.

"He's bein' an asshole Pony. You didn't _do_anything much less do it on purpose. Come on,

I'll walk you home and have a little talk with Darry while I'm at it."

"No. No I can't go back there."

"I'm goin' with you Pony. He ain't gonna hurt you again."

"How do you know?"

"Because if he does I'll hurt _him_. I'm sick of him hurtin' you Pony. He's gonna learn the hard way now that no one messes with the people I love. And, since you're the only person in _that _particular category, he's steppin' on the wrong guy's toes."

He sighed. "Okay."

As we walked the short distance back to his house I took my hoodie off and strung it across my shoulder. If there was gonna be a fight I wasn't gonna be unprepared.

"Darry's on the porch." Pony whispered, fear tingeing his voice.

"Don't worry about it."

As we reached the porch Darry stared at Pony, his gaze apologetic. He ignored me at first but his attention quickly turned to me when I pushed Pony behind me. Before he could say anything I told him to get inside. He went in and I followed, Pony at my heels.

"Go on to bed Pony. I'll take care of this." I told Pony with a smile.

"You'll be dead by morning." Pony said as he walked away.

Turning to Darry I said, "Don't hit him again. He's in enough pain without his brother bringing him more. You've done enough."

Darry sighed, his eyes softening at his brother's voice. "He's throwin' away his life, Two-Bit. First it was just little things but now...now he's not doin' anything. I shouldn't have punched him like that but I lost it. He kept screamin' that he was sick and tired of being blamed for...for what happened to Johnny and Dallas and I kept yellin' that that wasn't no excuse for his grades. Then...I dunno...I just hit him."

I stared after Pony, my heart sinking. "He blames himself for what happened. He thinks that maybe they wouldn't have died if he wouldn'ta saved those little kids. I've tried to tell him different but he won't listen to me."

Darry stared at me, his eyes confused. I could guess at what he was tryin' to figure out but I didn't know quite how to explain it. Pony and I had been...together since Pony's fourteenth birthday. He was the only one I'd ever cared about like this before but I sure as hell didn't know how to explain that to Darry.

Darry sighed. "Why did Pony run straight to you?" he asked.

"I don't know exactly how to explain that..."

Pony appeared in the doorway then. He stared at me for a few seconds before walking to stand behind me. After a few more seconds he grabbed my hand and clasped it in his own. I looked down at him, surprised that he'd do it. Keeping us a secret had been his idea after all. Then he spoke and I realized why he had done it.

"Darry, Keith and I-"  
>"Keith? Since when does anyone call Two-Bit by his first name?" Darry cut in, widening his eyes.<p>

I laughed. "_He_ always has. Usually he just doesn't do it in front of people."

"Wow."

Pony rolled his eyes. "Anyways, Keith and I have been...well, you know, together, since my fourteenth birthday. It just sorta happened during a conversation about...liking other guys. After Johnny and Dallas died we got closer. A lot closer. I've wanted to tell you for a while but I didn't know how."

"Not to mention that you thought he'd kill you the second he found out." I cut in, rolling my eyes.

Pony glanced at me and shook his head. "Nah I figgered he'd kill you first. Soda'd stop him 'fore he killed me."

"It kinda sounds like I'm the only one that doesn't know." Darry commented, staring at us.

"You kinda are. Soda figured it out right away."

"Only because he caught us talking about it at the lot that night." Pony cut in, blushing.

"Yeah. And Steve found out just after that. Wonder how that happened. And Johnny and Dallas knew 'cause Pony and I told 'em."

Darry laughed. "I knew somethin' was goin on with you guys. Why else would you and Pony be spendin' three hours talking at the lot?"

Pony blushed, if possible, even deeper. "We...uh...we weren't at the lot that night and we weren't talking."

Darry rolled his eyes and gagged himself. "That's disgusting Pony."

"Yeah, well, don't tell anyone else." I warned, staring at Darry seriously.

"Don't worry I won't."

"Thanks." Pony said in a low voice.

"Welcome. "

Then he got serious. "You're welcome to stay if you want Two-Bit. The spare bedroom's clean now. I heard about what's goin' on with your old man."

"Thanks Darry. That would be great."

After he walked away I turned to stare at Pony. The fake smile he had put on for Darry's sake faded as he slumped back against the wall. He closed his eyes and sighed, the sound breaking in the middle. When he re-opened his eyes they had tears shining in them. I walked closer and pulled him into my arms. He rested against my chest, still holding back tears.

"What's wrong Pony?" I asked softly.

"Those stupid nightmares are back."

"Are they as bad as they were before?"

He looked up at me and swallowed. "Worse. I'm starting to remember stuff when I wake up. That's the worst part, I think."

"It'll be okay. You can sleep with me tonight, if you want. Hell, you can sleep with me all summer if you need to. As long as you get some sleep so that those bags out from under your eyes I don't care where we sleep."

"You don't hafta do that, you know." he whispered.

I kissed his forehead, a gesture I rarely ever showed.

"I'd rather sleep with you than without you. Honestly, I've been havin' trouble sleepin' lately too. Maybe we'd _both___sleep better if we slept together."

He sighed, sagging against me. "Go ahead and head over to the spare room. I've gotta go let Soda know where I'm at. He and Steve were gonna come sleep out here but since we're gonna take the spare they can stay there. Besides, I've gotta grab my pillow. Soda likes to try and steal it when I ain't sleepin' in there."

"All right. I'll see you in a few minutes."

He pulled away and walked off towards his an' Soda's bedroom, leaving me standing in the living room alone. I walked off towards my own bedroom, trying to shake the feeling that something else was wrong with Pony, something worse than nightmares...


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

_Pony's POV_

Soda and Steve were sitting against the headboard arguing about something they'd done that morning when I walked in the room. Soda turned to stare at me but I avoided his eyes, not wanting him to see the mood I was in. I knew that if I could keep him from seeing my eyes he would think I was just tired or something like that.

"Where're you taking your pillow Pone?" Soda asked as I plucked it from beneath his foot.

"To the spare bedroom. Ya'll can stay in here if you want."

"Two-Bit's here, ain't he?" Steve asked with a laugh.

"Yeah. And Darry knows everything."

"I figured he did if ya'll were stayin' in the spare together."

"We told him a few minutes ago."

"You an' Darry patch up your fight?"  
>"I didn't even try to. Two-Bit made sure <em>he<em> did that." I rolled my eyes and muttered the words "overprotective moron" before turning towards my brother.

"He got pissed 'cause Darry punched you, didn't he?" Soda asked quietly.

"Yeah. I never seen him that mad before. It woulda been scary if he woulda been pissed at me."

"It kinda ticked me off too, Pone. He ever punches you like that again and I'm gonna give him a nice hard fist to the face. Even if he **is**__my brother."

"You do that. Meanwhile, I'm going to sleep now."

"Night Pony." Soda called as I left the room.  
>"Night Soda."<p>

When I got to the spare room Two-Bit was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. As soon as I shut the door he lifted his head and glanced at me. His eyes were stormy, his expression between sad and anger. Something had happened to him in the few short minutes that I had been in my room. Closing the door behind me I went to sit next to him. When he had leaned his head in my lap he spoke, his voice rough.

"My old man came home last night."

When he said that I knew what it was about. His dad ran off when Two-Bit was only twelve years old and Two-Bit hated him for it. But, even more than that, Two-Bit hated the fact that his dad used to beat his mom. He knew that he couldn't stop it from happening and it made everything worse for him.

"I'll be okay Pone. As long as I don't go home very often I won't have to see him."

"You're forgetting something." I said, staring down at him.

"What am I forgetting?"  
>"The fact that I know you better than anyone else. I know you good enough to know when somethin's botherin' you more than you wanna let on."<br>He sighed. "Damn you're good."

"No I'm not. I just know how you are."

"I guess you do. Don't tell anyone else this but...it scares me that he's back. The last time he was here my mom ended up in the hospital. He ain't like the other guys my mom dates. I mean, I can make _those_guys leave whenever I want 'em to but I can't make this asshole leave no matter what I do to him."

"It's gonna be okay. I know you hate him hittin' your mom but don't let it get to ya too much."

"You know somethin' Pony? I don't even care if he hits her anymore. If she's stupid enough to take him back after everything he's done than she can deal with it herself. I'm done with her and I'm done with him. I'm gonna call her at work tomorrow and tell her that I ain't comin' home. I'll sleep in my damn car if I have to."

"You're not sleeping in a car Keith Matthews. If you have to leave your place you're stayin' here. I'm not havin' you on the streets like a common bum."

He laughed, his eyes brightening. "All right. If you say so Pony."

"I say so."

"Now how about we get some sleep around here? Tomorrow's the first day of summer and I wanna be wide awake for it."  
>"I agree. Let's hit the sack."<p>

When we were laying down Two-Bit sighed and rested his head against my shoulder. I wrapped an arm around him and leaned my head down against his. Things were really starting to go downhill now, for all of us. Ever since Johnny and Dallas died things had been going that way and, at the current moment, I didn't see any change coming. Actually, I was starting to wonder if things would _ever_get better for us. With that thought still fresh in my mind I drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3  4

_**Chapter Three**_

_Two-Bit's POV_

I woke up at three o'clock in the morning because Pony was shivering against me. Thinking he was cold I wrapped both arms around him and pulled him closer. When he still didn't stop shivering I opened my eyes and looked down at him. He was curled into my side, his face pressed against my arm so I couldn't see his face. But I could feel the tears splashing against my skin and knew that he was havin' another nightmare.

"Pony. Pony wake up." I whispered.

He stirred a little but didn't open his eyes. I stared down at him, watching the tears fall from beneath his closed lids. As I watched he whimpered and whispered something unintelligible. More tears followed this and soon his whole body began shaking. I pulled myself into a sitting position and tightened my arms around him. He still didn't seem to be able to pull out of the nightmare. Shaking him gently, I whispered his name a few times.

"Pony. Pony. Pony please wake up."

Finally he opened his eyes and stared at me. As our eyes met he sat up and wrapped his arms around himself. I sat up beside him and pulled him into my side as he shivered. When he spoke, his voice was soft.

"Why'd you wake up? I didn't make no noise."

"No. You didn't make a noise." I agreed, my voice slightly unsteady.

"Then why'd ya wake up?"  
>"Because you were havin' a nightmare. Now stop worryin' about me. Are you okay?"<br>He shivered again before answering. "I think so. I don't even remember what the damn thing is ever about. All I remember is being really, really scared. That's what wakes me up usually, the being scared part I mean."

"How long does it take you to get back to sleep usually?"

"Depends on how bad the nightmare was. It's gonna take a while tonight 'cause it was pretty bad this time. You can go ahead and go back to sleep if you want. I'll be okay."

"I'm not goin' to sleep with you awake beside me. Now be quiet and get over here please."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why."

"I guess that's reason enough."

When he was leaning against my side again he yawned and closed his eyes. The next second he was snoring slightly. I looked down at him and had to smile. He looked happy when he was sleepin' and it made me smile. I didn't like seein' him sad 'cause I knew he didn't deserve it. He deserved to be happy, not what he was gettin'. Sighing, I lay back down and pulled Pony with me. In a few seconds I had fallen asleep listening to the sound of Pony's light breathing.

_**Chapter Four**_

_Pony's POV_

I woke up early the next morning. Keith was still asleep. He was laying on his side, one arm curled loosely around my waist. Standing up, I pulled on my T-shirt and jeans from the night before and walked out into the living room. It was dead quiet out there so I figgered the rest of the house wasn't awake yet or somethin'. For a while I sat on the couch, stating blankly at the TV screen, thinking about everything and nothing at the same time. After a while I heard the back door creak open and turned around to see who it was. When my eyes met the man's face I gasped, my eyes widening. It had to be Keith's old man. He looked a lot like him. Except for the eyes. This guys' eyes were too cold to be Keith's. They were the same color but they were darker, angrier.

He smiled when he caught sight of me sitting on the couch, his eyes glinting. I stood up and started to head back to the bedroom where Keith was still asleep but he was in front of me before I could do anything more than whimper. He pushed me back up against the wall and held me there. I tried to move but he was too strong. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"So you're the little punk that made my boy turn into a fag."

"I didn't _make _Two-Bit do anything. He made his own decision before we even got together." I whispered, struggling to get free.

"Don't lie to me! You turned my son into a faggot!"

He brought his knee up into my stomach and I screamed, pain moving through my body. The next instant I heard footsteps heading towards the living room and four voices calling my name. The guy looked up and his face took on a surprised look as Two-Bit came running towards us.

"What the fuck do you think you're doin' here?"Two-Bit yelled as his dad let go of me.

"I'm giving this little faggot what he deserves."

"Get the fuck off of my brother!" Darry chimed in, his voice shaking with rage.

The guy looked down at me. "Leave my son alone or it'll be worse next time."

Two-Bit lost control after that. In one swift movement he was standing in front of his dad, his fist raised. In the next movement he had punched him in the jaw. Almost as soon as he pulled his fist away from his father Two-Bit grabbed my arm and pulled me against him. I glanced up at him, studying his features. His eyes were stormy, his expression deadly. If I were his dad I'd leave before he lost it again. Of course, no one ever accused his dad of being smart.

"You're gonna pay for that Keith."

Before he answered, Two-Bit pushed me behind him, tensing for the fight that was coming. When he spoke, his voice was icy.

"Bring it on asshole. I ain't scared of you."

"My pleasure."

Fortunately, Steve and Soda met my eyes at the moment this was said and stepped forward to grab ahold of Two-Bit's arms. Darry stepped around them and grabbed Two-Bit's dad by the collar. Boy, if Two-Bit's dad was big Darry a giant. He lifted the man straight off the ground and carried him to the door. Opening it with his free hand, he threw the guy out onto the porch and slammed it in his face. After he'd locked the door behind him he turned and came back to us.

"You shoulda let me kill that sonofabitch." Two-Bit said as Soda and Steve released him.

"No they should not have. I'm not letting you get hauled off to jail…again because of that asshole." I said, stepping closer to him.

His face softened as he pulled me against his chest. Hiding his face in my shoulder he sighed. I held him for a few moments before he pulled back and stared at me, his gaze protective. When he spoke his voice had a steel edge to it.

"I ain't gonna let anything hurt ya Pony. I don't give a shit who or what it is they ain't gonna get to you. I swear it to ya baby."

I sighed, leaning against him. That's exactly what scared me. His protective side. Overprotective, moronic, adorable Greaser…


	4. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

_Two-Bit's POV_

Pony and I went back to the spare after the run-in with my dad. I still felt like crap 'cause of what he did to Pony but Pony said it didn't bother him. Which, by the way, was a load of complete bullshit. I could tell that it bothered Pony to see me and my dad fight. He'd never much liked fights in the first place and seein' me fight was probably on his list of two million things never to see. (He didn't actually have one of those but I liked to think he did.)

When we got to the spare Pony sat down on the side of the bed and hid his face in his knees. He wasn't crying, though, just seemed to be staring at his knees. It was silent between us until I spoke.

"Whatcha thinkin' about Pony?"

"Nothing."

"Liar. Tell me the truth."

He sighed and turned his head to look at me. For a few minutes he was silent, studying me. Then he spoke in a low voice, looking away from me.

"I don't like seeing you mad is all. Especially when it's because you're protecting me."

I sighed and pulled him against me before replying.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. It's just…I can take it when he hits my mom 'cause she kinda deserves it most of the time but when he hits you…it pisses me off 'cause I know you don't deserve it. Seeing him hit you like that made me realize somethin' Pony."

He glanced at me, his eyes puzzled.

"I don't think I've come right out and said it to you yet but I…I love you Ponyboy Curtis. I know I haven't felt like this before and…well let's just be honest….it scares the livin' shit outta me. But I wouldn't change it for the world. I don't ever want to see anyone hurt you again. Ever."

He smiled a little. "I'm glad you were the first one to say that. I woulda stuttered so bad you'da thought I was dyin'."

"So I'm takin' that to mean that…that you love me?"

"Of course I do."

With that said we smiled at each other. I kissed the top of Pony's head and he blushed. Grinning, I leaned against the headboard and closed my eyes again. In less than thirty seconds Pony and I were asleep again. As I drifted off to sleep I realized just how much I liked the feeling of Ponyboy in my arms and smiled a little wider.


	5. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm SO sorry for the long update time. I've been really busy and haven't had much time to write lately. Luckily for the readers that are still out there I've managed to make time in my busy schedule to continue Two-Bit and Ponyboy's story. In this chapter Two-Bit's dad does something that will piss Pony off more than anyone else. What could it be? Guess what, you'll have to wait and see. **

_**Chapter Six**_

_Pony's POV_

Two-Bit left later that day to get the rest of his things from his mothers' house. Before he left Darry made him call his mom and make sure that his old man wasn't anywhere near the house. Only when Darry had gotten his proof that Karl Matthews was nowhere near the house did he let Two-Bit leave. I was still more than a little worried about him but Darry and Soda insisted that he'd be fine. But, after five hours of him being gone, Soda, Steve, and I decided to go looking for him. Darry told us to stick together and he'd stick around the house in case he came back there.

"Two-Bit! You out there buddy?" Soda yelled as we rounded the corner into the alleyway behind Two-Bit's house.

Vaguely, I heard someone call back and looked over at the other two to see if they'd heard it too. Steve looked over at me and widened his eyes. Without bothering to say a word I took off in the direction that Two-Bit's voice had come from. As my footsteps got closer I heard him call my name and new I was getting really close to where he was. Soda and Steve ran behind me but they were havin' trouble keepin' up. Finally, after what seemed like hours of running, I saw him. The sight made my stomach curl. Two-Bit was layin' behind a trash can, curled into a ball. He was covered in blood and had a cut on his chin. Dropping to my knees beside him I touched the side of his face. Moaning, he looked up at me and blinked a few times.

"Pony? Oh God please tell me I'm not dreamin'."

"You're not dreamin' Two-Bit. What happened to you?" Steve answered from behind us.

"My old man and some other guys…" was all Two-Bit could say.

"Come on buddy, let's get you back to the house. Darry'll clean ya up a bit." Soda said, helping me pull Two-Bit to his feet.

Two-Bit didn't say anything else as we helped him limp along towards our house. He leaned his head down on my shoulder and sighed softly. I tightened my arm around his waist and looked at Steve over his head. Steve was glaring, but not at me. His glare was directed at Karl Matthews and whoever else had done this to Two-Bit. I almost looked around for Karl before realizing that Steve wouldn't be glaring at him if he was near us. (No…he'd be dead then.)

"Did you guys – Holy shit! What happened?" Darry called as we helped Two-Bit up the front porch steps.

"Hang on, let's get him inside first." Soda said, his voice darkening.

When Two-Bit was laying across my lap on the couch Soda and Steve took seats on the chair and stared at Darry, their faces dark. After a while Steve spoke what little we knew had happened.

"We found him behind a trash can covered in blood Darry. The only thing he could tell us was that his old man and a few other guys did this to him."

"All right. Let me have a look at him and we'll decide what to do from there."

Darry bent down and looked at the cut on Two-Bit's chin as well as the gash on his left leg and the other bruises and cuts he had all over his body. After a few minutes Darry looked up at me and then over at the other guys.

"He'll be all right. Just…stay with him until he wakes up, all right guys?" Darry asked, looking pointedly at Soda and Steve.

"Fine." Steve said, obviously mad 'cause he couldn't go looking for revenge.

We sat in silence for a few more minutes before I felt Two-Bit start to move. Looking down I saw that his eyes were wide open and that he was grinning at me, like something amused him. After a few seconds of looking at him like he was off his rocker I spoke.

"Why are you grinning like an idiot?"

"Because…well actually I have no fucking clue. Smiling seemed better than what I wanted to do so I smiled."

Well, at least he hadn't been brain damaged. His response was a typical Two-Bit response. Steve and Soda glanced at us and then headed towards the kitchen, talking together. I knew what they were doing and I reminded myself to thank them later.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, keeping my voice low.

"Yeah, just a little sore." He answered, his voice unnaturally bleak.

Before I could answer I heard Darry, Soda, and Steve's yells of rage and then a single shot rang through the air. I stopped breathing, listening for anything else. What I heard made my stomach curl. Soda was screaming in pain…

_Authors Note: HA cliff hanger! What happened?Is Soda all right? Well, that's for me to know and you to find out. I decided to add something pretty big in there to make up for taking so long to update. Thanks! Review!_

_Rayne Cassandra Storme_


	6. Chapter 7

2

**Author's Note: Here's the seventh chapter. It's in Two-Bit's POV because I wanted you to hear the events of this chapter through his thoughts. Thanks! Review!**

_**Chapter Seven**_

_Two-Bit's Point Of View_

In less than a second Pony and I were running into the kitchen. My ribs felt like they were being shattered in my chest but that didn't really matter. Soda had stopped making any sound whatsoever. He lay near the door, completely still, his eyes closed. Steve was nowhere to be seen and neither was Darry. The door was wide open and I could feel the warm night air blowing through it. Soda made no movement.

"Soda…Soda…no please…" Pony whimpered, dropping down beside his brother.

I was cold, couldn't think straight. Soda couldn't be…dead. Not Soda. _'Oh God anyone but Soda please?" _My desperate plea to the God that supposedly watched over us did no good. Soda lay unmoving still. Tears started to fall but I paid them no mind. After all this couldn't be happening. I was still laying behind that trash can in the alley. Pony hadn't got there yet. Pony's sudden yell broke me from my thoughts.

"SODA! Please Soda, please don't leave me. Not now, please please not now!"

Still, there was no movement from Soda. I felt myself dropping to my knees beside Pony, still not wanting to believe that this was real. Pony turned to face me, his own face lined with tears.

"Two-Bit he's…he's dead."

Wordlessly, I pulled him into my arms and held him there, staring down at Soda's face. It was true, he was dead. Pony hid his face in my shoulder and sobbed loudly. Footsteps alerted us that Darry and Steve were back and I looked up to see Steve staring Soda, his face slightly green. Darry looked like he couldn't believe any of this was actually happening. Well, that made two of us then. I hugged Pony harder and let my own tears fall, not caring about my tough-guy rep or anything but the fact that we'd just lost yet another member of our gang.

"Soda? Soda buddy don't leave me. Don't you leave me now! We have too much to live for, ya hear me?" Steve was yelling in Soda's ear.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Soda blinked. I shook my head, sure I was seeing things, but I wasn't. Soda was blinking around at us all like we were a bunch of idiots which I supposed we probably were. After a moment he spoke, his voice rough.

"Why's everyone cryin'?"

"We thought you were dead." Steve answered, his eyes wide.

"Dead? As if! The bullet hit my shoulder when I went down I hit my head on the fuckin' wall and knocked myself out. Golly ya'll I'm fine!"

"I'm going to start the truck. Steve, help him outside please." Darry said, grabbing his keys from the counter.

"All right."

As they left the room together Pony and I looked at each other. We were thinking the same thing: _'Whoever did this is going to get it. And they're not going to like what we give 'em.' _And they would. No one hurt my family and lived to tell the tale. Not if they were smart they didn't. I kissed the top of Pony's head as we both vowed revenge…

_Okay, so I REALLY REALLY wanted to kill Soda off but I couldn't. It was impossible. Sorry the chapter is so short couldn't think of much to write. As always, reviews will be appreciated!_

_Rayne Cassandra Storme 3_


	7. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

_Pony's POV_

By the time we got home from the hospital it was one in the morning and we were too tired to even make it to our bedrooms. (With the exception of Darry, he managed to make it to his bed.) Soda and Steve passed out on the floor, their arms tight around each other. Two-Bit and I lie on the couch and fell asleep, him laying on top of me 'cause of his ribs and all.

That was the first time in a long time that we slept in later than nine or ten o'clock. We woke up at eleven to the smell of chocolate cake and the sound of Darry banging on a wall. At first we all just looked around at each other, bleary eyed and tired, before bursting out laughing. I don't even think we knew what we were laughing about until Two-Bit, using his usual way of making a serious thought into a joke, voiced it.

"We really need to work on where we fall asleep. What'd we do last night…come in and throw ourselves down?"

We all laughed again and then Darry said, "You and Pony were the first to lay down. Steve and Soda glanced towards their room before deciding that it was too far away and lay on the floor. I made it to my bed at least."

Soda grinned up at him from where he was sprawled across Steve's chest.

"I was too tired to walk that far and the two bums up there were already on the couch so I chose the floor. Steve here just didn't want me to lay by myself on the cold floor." He said.

"Only because you'd end up ripping out the stitches and then I'd have to take you back to the hospital. And I didn't want to do that at four in the morning. Therefore I took the space beside you. And besides that the bed would have been too cold without you in it."

Two-Bit and I grinned at each other after Steve spoke. He'd never openly tell Soda "I love you" in front of us. He definitely wasn't like Two-Bit when it came to stuff like that. Two-Bit would just tell me and get it over with, Steve glossed things over or hid them in a joke. (Two-Bit hid things in jokes too…but not when it came to me.)

"We've been awake for five minutes already and I haven't gotten my kiss good morning. What's with that?" Two-Bit asked, frowning at me.

"I dunno. You never asked."

Two-Bit rolled his eyes at me. "I _never _ask for a good morning kiss. You just give it to me 'cause I'm so sexy."

I laughed and pressed my lips against his. He kissed back eagerly, wrapping his arms around my waist to pull me closer. After a few seconds we heard a disgusted sound and then were pulled apart by a glaring Steve. Usually I'd glare at him or make some smart remark but the look on Two-Bit's face struck me as funny and I found myself laughing at him instead. Again, we all found ourselves laughing together.

"How's your ribs?" I asked Two-Bit as Soda and Steve got up and headed towards the kitchen.

"They hurt a little but not as much as last night. I'll be fine." He answered.

"Good. I don't want to get up yet. I'm comfortable right here."

"Neither do I. I'm not hungry yet and besides that I'm too tired to do much moving just yet."

We fell silent, each absorbed in our thoughts. (Well, I was absorbed in my thoughts Two-Bit was snoring.) I watched him sleep with a smile. I'd never tell him but, as...beautiful (he'd kill me if I ever called him that to his face) as he looked awake, he was twice that asleep. He looked more peaceful when he was sleepin' I guess. When he was awake he was always guarded, busy keeping people from seeing how he felt. Most people didn't notice that, they just thought he was a prankster, that he didn't have feeling. But that wasn't the case, not by a long shot. He felt things just as strongly (sometimes more) as I did, but he didn't like people seeing it. But, when he was sleeping, he was unguarded and that's what made him beautiful. (Again, if he ever heard me say that I'd be dead.)

"Pony, Two-Bit ya'll comin' to eat or do I get to have your cake?" Soda called from the kitchen.

Two-Bit opened one eye and looked at me. "We're comin' just give us a minute. I was comfortable." he called back.

Looking back at me, he said, "We'd better get in there before they eat it all."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I think I could use another kiss before we go in there. Might keep me awake."

Grinning, I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. After a few seconds we broke apart and got up, heading for the kitchen. Soda and Steve were sitting on the counter and Darry was leaning against the wall. Two-Bit and I leaned against the fridge and shared a piece, not hungry enough to get separate pieces. I looked around at my family and smiled. We were a weird bunch, that was for sure, but that's how we liked it. Darry caught my eye and gave a small smile as Soda told a joke and the kitchen erupted in laughter. Later we'd deal with the idiot that tried to kill Soda but for now laughing would do.

Author's Note: So sorry for the long update time! I sort of lost interest for a while. I like this chapter better than the previous two and I hope you do too. Thanks for reading and remember to review!

Rayne Cassandra Storme. 


	8. IMPORTANT NOTE PLEASE READ!

_Note: My twin sister, Jezabelle Rose Riddle, will be continuing all three of my stories for me. I'm getting married and won't have enough time to finish them. She should have the updates up in the next few days. _

_**Rayne Cassandra Storme**_


End file.
